Qatar is leasing land from Kenya to grow fruits and vegetables, paying Kenya with funds to support port construction. Echoes Saudi Arabia leasing farmland from Ethiopia. Fascinating and complex dynamics here – is this good news or bad for poor, agrarian countries?

Richard Silverstein looks at Israeli efforts at online hasbara – explanation, public diplomacy, propoganda – and wonders whether it can possibly be effective. Interesting to think about whether these techniques could be more effective around other causes.